Yesterday's IBJJF The Crown lived up to the hype, and is becoming one of the better premier BJJ events, bringing together 24 elite competitors across six divisions, who collectively boast 29 IBJJF World Championships gold medals.

The stakes were higher than ever with the IBJJF announcing a substantial $15,000 prize for each division winner, totaling an impressive $120,000 in prizes.

When it comes to top-tier Jiu Jitsu events, the IBJJF The Crown is certainly starting to make its mark. Held at the IBJJF west coast home, the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, CA on November 19, this invite-only event drew some of the world's best Jiu Jitsu gi competitors.

Divisional Brackets Breakdown

IBJJF The Crown Bracket

The Crown event was a spectacle of skill and power, featuring six distinct divisional brackets.

The mens brackets included 4 weight divisions: Featherweight, Middleweight, Heavyweight, and Ultra Heavyweight. Each weight class featured incredible talent and exiting match ups on the mat.

The competition didn’t stop there. We also witnessed fierce bouts in two women’s divisions - Lightweight and Super Heavyweight.

IBJJF The Crown Results

IBJJF The Crown Champions

Men's Ultra-Heavyweight Crown Match - Erich Munis x Roosevelt Sousa

In a thrilling match, Erich Munis' agility and long reach gave him the edge. His dynamic guard earned him multiple advantages, securing a close victory over the always game Sousa.

Erich Munis def Roosevelt Sousa via advantages (5-0)


Women's Super-Heavyweight Crown Match - Gabrielli Pessanha x Tayane Porfirio

In a fierce battle that lasted until the very end, Pessanha emerged as the victor. Despite struggling from her guard position, she managed to execute a takedown using a collar drag and gained an advantage with a clock choke. Porfirio made one last attempt from her guard, but her late leg attack was unsuccessful.

Gabrielli Pessanha def Tayane Porfirio via points (2-0)


Men's Heavyweight Crown Match - Fellipe Andrew x Gustavo Batista

Fellipe Andrew, the 2023 IBJJF World Champion, started strong with a takedown and swiftly transitioned to side control and mount to rack up 11 points for another impressive win.

Fellipe Andrew def Gustavo Batista via points (11-0)


Men's Middleweight Crown Match - Tainan Dalpra x Andy Murasaki

Tainan Dalpra

Dalpra quickly pulled guard, while Murasaki tried a deep backstep pass but got caught in a triangle. Dalpra skillfully adjusted his position to counter Murasaki's defense and secured the triangle, ultimately winning The Crown.

Tainan Dalpra def Andy Murasaki via triangle choke (3:08)


Men's Featherweight Crown Match - Samuel Nagai x Issac Doederlein

The Featherweight Crown Final was a nail-biter, with Doederlein and Nagai going head-to-head. Nagai gained an advantage early on during the double guard pull, but Doederlein fought back from his open guard. As the match neared its end, both competitors went all out in a frantic scramble. Despite attempts at an ankle lock and passing guard, no advantages were given.

Samuel Nagai def Issac Doederlein via advantages (1-0)


Women's Lightweight Crown Match - Nathalie Ribeiro vs Luiza Monteiro

Luiza Monteiro dominated this match, showcasing her skills and claiming victory. She began by pulling guard, swiftly sweeping Ribeiro. With precision, she secured back control and mounted her opponent, earning an impressive 12 points on her way to victory The Crown.

Luiza Monteiro def Nathalie Ribeiro via points (12-0)


Women's Super-Heavyweight 3rd Place Match - Amy Campo x Melissa Stricker

Stricker's clever guard helped her resist Campo's relentless pass attempts, ultimately allowing her to secure 3rd place at The Crown by landing a sweep after pulling guard early.

Melissa Stricker def Amy Campo via points (2-0)


Men's Heavyweight 3rd Place Match - Francisco Lo x Uanderson Ferreira

Uanderson Ferreira did not participate, so Francisco Lo automatically won third place.

Francisco Lo def Uanderson Ferreira via default


Men's Middleweight 3rd Place Match - Pedro Maia x Mauricio Oliveira

In this thrilling match, both fighters showcased their skills with Oliveira gaining an early edge from an ankle lock attempt and subsequent takedown. Maia impressed towards the end by executing a very nice single-leg takedown. A truly back-and-forth battle!

Mauricio Oliveira def Pedro Maia via advantages (1-0)


Men's Featherweight 3rd Place Match - Diego Pato x Fabricio Andrey

Pato and Hokage wasted no time in their high-energy match. They both traded sweeps back and forth. In the end, Pato gained an early advantage with a leg attack after a neck-and-neck battle at six points each when the time ran out.

Diego Pato def Fabricio Andrey via advantages (1-0)


Women's Lightweight 3rd Place Match - Janaina Lebre x Brianna Ste-Marie

Janaina Lebre was awarded 3rd place after Brianna Ste-Marie did not compete.

Janaina Lebre def Brianna Ste-Marie via default


Men's Ultra-Heavyweight - Joao Gabriel Rocha x Victor Honorio

After a long period of inactivity, as they struggled to gain control through takedown attempts, both fighters were disqualified due to accumulating the maximum number of penalties.

Both Fighters DQ'd


Women's Super-Heavyweight - Tayane Porfirio x Melissa Stricker

In a closely contested match, Tayane managed to break through Stricker's defense with an over-under pass. Seizing the opportunity, she almost took Stricker's back and flattened her out. With a firm grip on the collar, Porfirio secured the victory with a choke from the back.

Tayane Porfirio def Melissa Stricker via choke from back (5:52)


Women's Super-Heavyweight - Gabrielli Pessanha x Amy Campo

Pessanha secured an advantage after attempting a submission from guard. She displayed control and dominance, keeping Campo trapped in her guard until time ran out.

Gabrielli Pessanha def Amy Campo via advantages (1-0)


Men's Heavyweight - Gustavo Batista x Uanderson Ferreira

In an intense match, Uanderson gained the upper hand by securing the first advantage and making a close attempt to pass Batista's guard. However, Batista, with his experience, dominated the latter part of the bout. He successfully swept Ferreira and transitioned into side control. Although he couldn't secure mount before time ran out, Batista advances to face Fellipe Andrew in the finals.

Gustavo Batista def Uanderson Ferreira via points (5-0)


Men's Heavyweight - Fellipe Andrew x Francisco Lo

Fellipe Andrew narrowly escaped Lo's early armbar attempt, overpowering him to secure the mount position. From there, he sunk in a nice head and arm choke to finish the match.

Fellipe Andrew def Francisco Lo via head and arm choke (7:30)


Men's Middleweight - Andy Murasaki x Mauricio Oliveira

In a nail-biting match, Murasaki's almost-back take sealed his spot in the men's middleweight finals. This sets up an anticipated rematch with last year's IBJJF World Championships finalist.

Andy Murazaki def Mauricio Oliveira via advantages (1-0)


Men's Middleweight - Tainan Dalpra x Pedro Maia

Dalpra maintained composure as he skillfully showcased his open guard game. He executed a slick sweep halfway through the match and continued to apply relentless pressure until time expired.

Tainan Dalpra def Pedro Maia via points (2-0)


Men's Featherweight - Fabricio Andrey x Isaac Doederlein

Doederlein initiated the fight by pulling guard, leading to a mostly uneventful match with both fighters struggling to gain an advantage. Towards the end, Doederlein intensified his attacks, aiming for a sweep and ankle lock. However, Andrey showcased impressive defensive skills to stalemate Isaac's attempts.

Isaac Doederlein def Fabricio Andrey via referee's decision


Men's Featherweight - Samuel Nagai x Diego Pato

In a thrilling showdown between two reigning world champions, Nagai and Pato put on an impressive display. With the fight reaching its climax, Nagai's tenacity shone through as he stubbornly clung to an ankle lock attempt until the very last second, securing the victory by a single advantage point.

Samuel Nagai def Diego Pato via advantages (2-0)


Women's Lightweight - Luiza Monteiro x Brianna Ste-Marie

In a tightly contested match, Monteiro took the lead by initiating a guard pull and swiftly sweeping Ste-Marie. With impressive defense and counterattacks, Monteiro effectively dictated the fight's tempo until the end.

Luiza Monteiro def Brianna Ste-Marie via points (6-2)


Women's Lightweight - Nathalie Ribeiro x Janaina Lebre

Ribeiro started strong, taking Lebre down with an ankle pick. She dominated the fight, earning six more points and skillfully avoiding Lebre's submission attempts.

Nathalie Ribeiro def Janaina Lebre via points (8-2)

Prize Money Impact on Competition

The rewards were as substantial as the talent on display at The Crown event. Each division champ took home an impressive $15,000 prize, making the overall athlete payout pool $120,000.

In comparison to other sports like boxing or MMA where big bucks are common, this level of prize money is relatively new in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournaments. IBJJF's initiative might have been a game-changer; pushing athletes even harder during preparation and performance phases.

This lucrative approach may redefine the competitive BJJ landscape by raising stakes higher than ever before.

We are definitely looking forward to the next IBJJF The Crown event!

November 20, 2023